Best spread: Maalouf’s Taste of Lebanon
Scoop up a big mound of Maalouf’s foul muddamas (crushed fava beans mixed with garlic, lemon juice and olive oil) and spread it on warm pita bread for a satisfying nibble.

FOR THE KIDDIES

Best French toast: Mangos at Arden Hills
The cinnamon-swirl French toast is dipped in crushed corn flakes, which contribute a delightful crunch to the dish. Darned good breakfast eating.

Best healthful pizza: Zelda’s
Here’s a great way to get your kids to eat their vegetables: Order the deep-dish Spinoccoli pizza, made with garlicky spinach and broccoli.

Best gelato: Hot Italian
Yes, the pizzas are great, but so is the luscious gelato selection. And the best part is ordering it from the sidewalk through the restaurant’s walk-up window.

Best place to be entertained while dining: Benihana
Yes, it’s kind of cheesy, but who doesn’t love watching the expert antics of their Benihana chef as he chops and flings food into the air like an overzealous circus performer?

BOTTOMS UP

Best place for artisan tequila: Tres Agaves
The restaurant has an excellent artisan tequila inventory. Try one of the fantastic margaritas, made fresh, with hand-squeezed lime juice, aged tequila and organic agave nectar.

Best place to drink with your dog: Rubicon Brewing Company
What could be better than slurping a cold, refreshing Monkey Knife Fight pale ale on Rubicon’s patio with your pooch?

Best place for Belgian ale: The Shack
This well-worn establishment has an exciting lineup of Belgian ales to wash down its excellent sandwiches. On pleasant afternoons, grab a table on the overgrown but charming patio.

DIY

Best Vietnamese appetizer: Quan Nem Ninh Hoa
For $7.99, you get everything you need to assemble your own spring rolls: dried rice papers, a big bowl of hot water to dunk them in, and fillings, including charbroiled skewers of marinated pork, deep-fried egg rolls, pickled carrots, daikon, and a frothy mountain of fresh greens and herbs.

Best shabu-shabu: Shabu Japanese Fondue
Roll up your sleeves, take a big gulp of sake and plunge those cubes of Kobe beef, doll-size enoki mushrooms and crinkly spinach leaves into a pot of bubbling broth, then sprinkle it all with chopped daikon and ponzu sauce.